The statistics in this chapter have been obtained from the Department of Education and Skills, and the State Examination Commission. Results from the CSO’s Quarterly National Household Survey (QNHS) on Educational Attainment are also included. The data includes details of participation in and expenditure on first, second and third level education.
| 7.1 Persons aged 15-64 years classified by the highest level of education attained | |||||
| Thousands | |||||
| Highest education level attained | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 |
| Males | |||||
| Primary or below | 204.0 | 190.8 | 174.8 | 172.8 | 159.1 |
| Lower secondary | 310.5 | 286.8 | 284.4 | 280.1 | 256.8 |
| Higher secondary | 393.2 | 402.1 | 400.0 | 379.9 | 381.6 |
| Post leaving cert | 174.9 | 172.5 | 177.0 | 184.3 | 187.2 |
| Third level non-honours degree | 169.2 | 163.8 | 159.6 | 158.9 | 165.4 |
| Third level honours degree or above | 254.2 | 272.5 | 289.9 | 301.9 | 311.4 |
| Other | 48.4 | 50.0 | 43.8 | 31.9 | 37.1 |
| Total | 1,554.4 | 1,538.5 | 1,529.4 | 1,509.8 | 1,498.6 |
| Females | |||||
| Primary or below | 169.6 | 156.8 | 143.3 | 152.1 | 129.3 |
| Lower secondary | 248.5 | 239.8 | 234.8 | 226.4 | 215.6 |
| Higher secondary | 408.0 | 407.5 | 401.2 | 380.8 | 376.8 |
| Post leaving cert | 169.2 | 155.4 | 170.0 | 173.9 | 167.7 |
| Third level non-honours degree | 241.3 | 238.9 | 221.9 | 223.6 | 235.3 |
| Third level honours degree or above | 266.3 | 298.8 | 329.5 | 345.6 | 358.6 |
| Other | 43.5 | 47.3 | 37.2 | 29.5 | 36.1 |
| Total | 1,546.5 | 1,544.5 | 1,538.0 | 1,531.8 | 1,519.4 |
| All Persons | |||||
| Primary or below | 373.7 | 347.6 | 318.1 | 324.9 | 288.4 |
| Lower secondary | 559.0 | 526.6 | 519.3 | 506.5 | 472.5 |
| Higher secondary | 801.2 | 809.6 | 801.2 | 760.6 | 758.5 |
| Post leaving cert | 344.0 | 327.9 | 347.0 | 358.2 | 354.9 |
| Third level non-honours degree | 410.5 | 402.8 | 381.5 | 382.5 | 400.6 |
| Third level honours degree or above | 520.6 | 571.3 | 619.4 | 647.5 | 670.0 |
| Other | 91.9 | 97.3 | 80.9 | 61.3 | 73.1 |
| TOTAL | 3,100.9 | 3,083.0 | 3,067.5 | 3,041.6 | 3,018.0 |
| Source: CSO | |||||
In 2013, 35.5% of those aged 15 to 64 years had a third level qualification. 72.4% of all persons aged between 15 and 64 years attained education levels of higher secondary level or above. Under 10% (9.6%) of persons aged 15 to 64 years had not progressed beyond primary level education.
| Male | Female | Total | |
| 2009 | 423.4 | 507.6 | 931.1 |
| 2010 | 436.3 | 537.7 | 974.1 |
| 2011 | 449.5 | 551.4 | 1000.9 |
| 2012 | 460.8 | 569.2 | 1030 |
| 2013 | 476.8 | 593.9 | 1070.6 |
| 7.2 Persons in full-time education by level | |||
| Number | |||
| School year | First level | Second level | Third level |
| 1965/66 | 504,865 | 142,983 | 20,698 |
| 1970/71 | 520,129 | 197,142 | 24,496 |
| 1975/76 | 550,078 | 270,956 | 33,148 |
| 1980/81 | 568,364 | 300,601 | 41,928 |
| 1985/86 | 576,576 | 338,207 | 55,088 |
| 1990/91 | 552,528 | 345,941 | 69,988 |
| 1995/96 | 485,923 | 373,665 | 102,662 |
| 2000/01 | 444,782 | 349,274 | 126,300 |
| 2001/02 | 447,446 | 344,720 | 131,812 |
| 2002/03 | 448,754 | 343,596 | 137,323 |
| 2003/04 | 451,755 | 341,724 | 143,271 |
| 2004/05 | 455,572 | 339,128 | 143,546 |
| 2005/06 | 462,811 | 335,134 | 145,287 |
| 2006/07 | 477,078 | 336,955 | 149,502 |
| 2007/08 | 490,838 | 338,682 | 148,014 |
| 2008/09 | 501,448 | 344,893 | 152,686 |
| 2009/10 | 510,460 | 354,235 | 164,843 |
| 2010/11 | 514,852 | 359,653 | 169,209 |
| 2011/121 | 516,458 | 359,047 | 163,068 |
| 2012/13 | 526,422 | 362,847 | 164,863 |
| 2013/14 | 536,317 | 367,178 | 168,982 |
| 1Revised | |||
| Source: Department of Education and Skills | |||
Interactive table: Department of Education and Skills Database
| First level | Second level | Third level | |
| 2004/05 | 455572 | 339128 | 143546 |
| 2005/06 | 462811 | 335134 | 145287 |
| 2006/07 | 477078 | 336955 | 149502 |
| 2007/08 | 490838 | 338682 | 148014 |
| 2008/09 | 501448 | 344893 | 152686 |
| 2009/10 | 510460 | 354235 | 164843 |
| 2010/11 | 514852 | 359653 | 169209 |
| 2011/12 | 516458 | 359047 | 163068 |
| 2012/13 | 526422 | 362847 | 164863 |
| 2013/14 | 536317 | 367178 | 168982 |
The number of students in first level education totalled 536,317 in 2013/14. This is an increase of nearly 10,000 over 2012/13 but represented only 93% of the 576,576 figure recorded in 1985/86. The number at this level has fallen substantially since then, but has risen since 2001/02.
In the case of second level students, the participation rate rose strongly from 2005/06 until 2013/14, with 367,178 persons in full-time second level education in the academic year 2013/14.
There were 168,982 persons in full-time third level education in 2013/14, an increase of over 800% since 1965/66.
| 7.3 Voted Expenditure1 by sector for financial year ended 31st December 2012 | ||||
| €m | ||||
| Sector | Current | Capital | Total | |
| Gross expenditure | ||||
| Administration | 85.90 | 1.70 | 87.60 | |
| Other Services | 275.80 | 0.10 | 275.90 | |
| First Level Education | 3,087.30 | 0.00 | 3,087.30 | |
| Second Level & Further Education Grants & Services | 2,754.80 | 0.00 | 2,754.80 | |
| Third Level & Further Education Grants & Services | 1,564.90 | 0.00 | 1,564.90 | |
| Capital Services | 48.80 | 404.10 | 452.90 | |
| Skills Development | 376.10 | 4.00 | 380.10 | |
| Gross Total | 8,193.60 | 409.90 | 8,603.50 | |
| Deduct Total Appropriations-in-Aid | 579.30 | 1.20 | 580.50 | |
| Total Net Expenditure | 7,614.30 | 408.70 | 8,023.00 | |
| 1Voted Expenditure refers to the ordinary services of the Department of Education and Skills, the monies for which are voted by the Dáil and included under Vote 26 of the 2011 Revised Estimates for Public Services. | ||||
| Source: Department of Education and Skills | ||||
Interactive table: Department of Education and Skills Database
In 2012, total gross expenditure on education by the State was €8,603.5m. Expenditure on first level education was €3,087.3m, nearly 36% of the total gross expenditure on education.
| 7.4 Second level State examination candidates | ||||||||||||||||||
| Number | ||||||||||||||||||
| State Examination | 1997 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | ||
| Junior Certificate | 67,053 | 61,470 | 60,124 | 60,152 | 59,340 | 56,864 | 56,640 | 57,784 | 57,287 | 55,940 | 55,557 | 56,086 | 56,841 | 58,798 | 59,822 | 60,327 | ||
| Male | 33,740 | 31,302 | 30,308 | 30,150 | 29,855 | 28,495 | 28,627 | 29,273 | 28,812 | 28,308 | 28,361 | 28,523 | 29,182 | 29,907 | 30,553 | 31,050 | ||
| Female | 33,313 | 30,168 | 29,816 | 30,002 | 29,485 | 28,369 | 28,013 | 28,511 | 28,475 | 27,632 | 27,196 | 27,563 | 27,659 | 28,891 | 29,269 | 29,277 | ||
| Leaving Certificate | 63,234 | 63,419 | 59,537 | 58,400 | 59,536 | 58,742 | 57,391 | 54,111 | 53,893 | 55,543 | 57,461 | 57,837 | 57,539 | 55,816 | 54,408 | 56,975 | ||
| Male | 29,995 | 30,138 | 28,176 | 27,716 | 28,532 | 28,059 | 27,189 | 25,832 | 25,730 | 27,015 | 28,256 | 28,855 | 28,720 | 28,191 | 27,511 | 28,736 | ||
| Female | 33,239 | 33,281 | 31,361 | 30,684 | 31,004 | 30,683 | 30,202 | 28,279 | 28,163 | 28,528 | 29,205 | 28,982 | 28,819 | 27,625 | 26,897 | 28,239 | ||
| All examination candidates | 130,287 | 124,889 | 119,661 | 118,552 | 118,876 | 115,606 | 114,031 | 111,895 | 111,180 | 111,483 | 113,018 | 113,923 | 114,380 | 114,614 | 114,230 | 117,302 | ||
| Male | 63,735 | 61,440 | 58,484 | 57,866 | 58,387 | 56,554 | 55,816 | 55,105 | 54,542 | 55,323 | 56,617 | 57,378 | 57,902 | 58,098 | 58,064 | 59,786 | ||
| Female | 66,552 | 63,449 | 61,177 | 60,686 | 60,489 | 59,052 | 58,215 | 56,790 | 56,638 | 56,160 | 56,401 | 56,545 | 56,478 | 56,516 | 56,166 | 57,516 | ||
| Source: State Exams Commission | ||||||||||||||||||
In the academic year 2013/14, there were 117,302 second level examination candidates (59,786 males and 57,516 females). There were 56,975 Leaving Certificate examination candidates, an increase of 4.7% on 2012/13.
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